Allen.] 182 [December 15. 



common fox in boldness and cunning. In the Proceedings of the 

 Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences (Vol. i, p. 188, 1842), it 

 is stated that a specimen of this species, from Illinois, was presented 

 to the Academy by Dr. Blanding. Mr. Kennicott states that it was 

 once common in northern Illinois. 



5. Vulpes vulgaris Fleming. 1 (Red Fox.) 



Not apparently numerous in the counties in question, particularly 

 at the southward. About Wall Lake and northwards they were re- 

 ported to be common. 2 



6. Vulpes velox Aud. and Bach. (Swift Fox.) 



Vulpes cinereo-argenlatus Richardson, Faun. Bor. Am., I, 98, 1829; 

 nee Canis cinereo-argenteus Erxleben, Syst. Regn. Animalis, 1777. 



An animal described to me as the " Swift," which occurs here more 

 or less frequently, is undoubtedly this species, though I have not 

 known it before reported as occurring east of the Missouri. The 

 character of the country in western Iowa differs little from that of 

 eastern Nebraska, where this species is well known to occur. It is 

 hence not very unexpected that it should exist in portions of Iowa. 

 Dr. Richardson says it ranges north to the Saskatchewan river, 

 which he gives as its northern limit. 



7. Vulpes virginianus Rich. (Gray Fox.) 



Canis cinereo-argenteus et virginianus Erxleben, Syst. Regn. Anim., 

 567. 1777. 



Frequent, but not especially numerous. 



1 For a recent discussion of the relationship of the so-called V.fulvus with the 

 V. vulgaris of the Old World, see the Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative 



Zoology, No. viii, p. 159. 



2 I may here add that in Van Buren and Allegan counties in Michigan, four kinds 

 of foxes are recognized by the hunters: the "cross," the " Samson," the "com- 

 mon red," and the " gray." The latter is undoubtedly the southern gray fox ( V. 

 virginianus), and the others different varieties of the common red fox. The 

 " cross," so called, is much the rarer, and the red by far the most common. About 

 one third of all taken are of the second variety, which from the very peculiar ap- 

 pearance of their fur are termed " Samson " foxes. They are described as having 

 a coarse, crisp, woolly fur, appearing much as though they had been singed; hence 

 their name of "Samson foxes." Their skins bring much less in market than 

 those of the common red fox, while the animal is represented as less cunning and 

 more easily trapped : they also have slightly different habits. I regret that I had 

 no opportunity of examining specimens of them myself. Similar foxes, I am in- 

 formed, occur in Massachusetts, where they are known to fox-hunters by the same 

 singular name. This peculiar condition of the pelage is doubtless unnatural, and 

 probably the result of disease, as I have in several instances seen an apparently 

 similar modification of the pelage in the red squirrel (Sciurus hudsonius), which in 

 one case extended through a whole litter. 



